Sheet handling mechanism



Sept. 30, 1941 s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 31, 1938 INVENTOR Samuel A.HuFFman Sept. 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 n a 5m OI! u A 8 U m 5 Sept. 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 1'7 Sheets-Shae; 5

' INVENTOR Samuel A.Huffman 17 Shets-Sheet 4 S. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 INVENTOR Sept. 30, 1941.

N a w a Sept 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM l7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEN I'OR Samuel A.HuFFman Filed March 31, 1938 M QMN NW R Wm E1 9 @w Sept. 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM 17 Sheets-Shet 6 Filed March 31, 1938 INVENTOR Samuel A.Huffman Sept. 30, 1941- s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 17 Sheets-Sheet 7 U INVENTOR 5amuel A.Huffman A5 ,MJM

Sept. 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 51, 1938 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR Samuel AHUHman Sept. 30, 1941 4 s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed March 31, 1938 n a Rm w WU v A 8 U m a S Sept. 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 17 Sheets-Sheet 1O WNW INVENTOR Jamual A.Huffman Mum 5 R wMN QQN o QWN p 1- s. A. HUFFMAN 2,257,117

SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 I 17 Sheets-Sheet 11 INVENTOR Samuel A.HuFFTmin Sept; 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN 2,257,

SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 1'7 Sheets-Sheet l3 Sept. 30, 1941. s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 17 She'ets-Sheet 14 Samuel A.Huffman Sept. 3Q, 1941.

s. A. HUFFMAN SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, I938 17 Sheets-Sheet l5 INVENTOR Samuel A.Huffman Sept. 30, 1941.

s. A.-HUFFMAN 2,257,117

SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1938 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 INVENTOR Samuel A.HufFman 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 17 Filed March 31, 1938 INVYENTOR Samuel A. Huffman QM: WN

R W NW XQN NM. QM. MN QN C 1 x a \m m 3 3m mm N lull! \filllllzwiillll .mN Wm @wN mm x J1 v W w. m m Q N m* 9w QwN N Patented Sept. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM Samuel A. Hufiman, Ben Avon, Pa., assignor to I. Miller Printing Machinery 00., Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application March 31, 1938, Serial No. 199,167

15 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of handling sheets, for example the transfer of sheets singly from one processing machine (such as a printing press or the like) to another, the feeding of sheets singly to a processing machine (see copending application Serial No. 294,166) or receiving sheets from such machine and disposing of them in suitable condition for further handling (see copending application Serial No. 299,309).

The problem of handling sheets is encountered in 'various industrial operations. The best known of such applications is the feeding of sheets to a printing press and the delivery of sheets therefrom. This invention is particularly adapted to such application and will be described with special reference thereto, although the invention is not limited to this application but has other uses as well. i

Sheet handling mechanisms for printing presses have heretofore included reciprocating members of considerable mass. Any attempt to operate such equipment at high speed introduces objectionable stress, shock and vibration." It is an 'object of the invention, therefore, to improve generally on sheet handling mechanisms as known heretofore, and particularly to avoid reciprocatingparts to a large degree, thus'permit-- ting high speed operation without the aforementioned objectionable stress, shock and vibration. In accordance with the invention, I employ endless belts for advancing sheets successively. The belts travel over a suitably formed table or other support and I provide vacuum means for progressively holding a sheet in contact with the travelling belts. The application of vacuum to the sheet at each point in its path of travel is controlled automatically to insure the desired movement without crumpling or other injury to the sheet.

The invention may take numerous different forms, and the following detailed description will cover only a few of the numerous possibilities. Among the forms of the invention to be described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings are a conveyor adapted to receive sheets successively from one printing press and deliver them to a second press arranged in tandem with the first mentioned press for a further printing operation; a sheet handling mechanism adapted to feed sheets singly from a pile to a press; and a conveyor mechanism adapted to receive sheets from a press and deliver them to a suitable pile support. Several. modificatio of these applications will also be described. In the drawings:

Figs. 1A and 13 together constitute a plan View of one form of conveyor mechanism for receiving sheets from one press and transferring them to a second press arranged in tandem therewith;

- Figs. 2A and 2B together constitute a side elevation of the conveyor mechanism;

Fig. 3 is-an elevation of the stator of a rotary valve employed to control the vacuum applied progressively to the sheets for holding them in contact with the conveyor belts;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the stator and rotor of the valve. along the line IVIV of Fig. 3;

Fig 5 is a partial elevation of the rotor of the valve;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line VI'VI of Fig. 1A;

' Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line VIIVII of Fig. 1B;

Fig. 8 is a partial plan view to enlarged scale;

Fig. 9 is a partial planview of a portion of the structure omitted from Fig. 1A;

Fig, 10 is an'endview thereof; Fig. 11 is "an elevation of a reciprocating pis ton valve which serves progressively torelease the vacuum holding the sheet to the travelling belts as the sheet approaches the cylinder of the secon'd press; 1' I Fig. 12 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 13 is a plan'view of a modified form of conveyor mechanism for receiving sheets successively from the press and transferring them to a second press arranged in tandem therewith;

Figs. 14A and 14B together constitute, a side elevation of the modified transfer conveyor mechanism;v I Y Fig. 15'is a plan view of a conveyor mechanism for feeding sheets singly from a stock pile to "the cylinder'ofa press of the flat bed and cylinder yp i fj.

Fig. 16 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 17 is, a view Partly in section and partly in elevation to an enlarged scale illustrating certain of thedetails shown'in Figs. 15 and. 16

Fig. 18 is a plan view of a modified form conveyor for feeding sheets from a pile to a press cylinder;

Fig. 19 is a side, elevationthereof Fig, 20 is a plan view of a conveyor mechanismv adapted to receive sheets after passing pile support;

tion provides clear access to the mechanisms of the presses A and B for the purposes of makeready, inspection and adjustment. A coil spring Fig. 27 is a fragmentary View identical with the upper left-hand corner of Fig. 143 except that it shows a driving sheave of increased dii ameter.

The following detailed description willbe di- 7 vided into several sections, referring to the var-- ious forms of the invention indicated by appro priate sub -titles. 7

CONVEYOR roe TANDEM 'PREssEs'CENTER HINGE YPE (Figs, 1A through 10) This form .of the invention is intended to receive sheets after they have passed through a press A and deliver them to a press B arranged i-ntan'dem therewith, for a second printing operation. The presses A and B may be .of any desired type but are illustrated herein diagrammaticallyia's of the flatbed and cylinder type. The sideirtames of the press A are indicate'd'a-t l0 and II and those of the press B at 12 and 13. The conveyor mechanism of my invention extends between the cylinders ofthe presses and comprises generally a delivery board. l4- and a feedboarld 15. The boards l4 and Hi are castings provided with spaced ribs for rigidity and are formed in' two sections connected by yokes I6 as best shown in Fig. .6. The portions of the delivery board on opposite sides of the central 7 division slot areindicated by numerals Ma and MD.

*The delivery board 14 is supported on bearing brackets I8 and I9 secured to the side frames l0 and'l I of the press A. I The portion 'l4a'of the delivery board has a bearing lug jour-naled on a stub'shaft 2|"keyed to the bracket -|8 (see Fig. 6); The inner' end of the shaft 2| provides a journalon which the lug 20 is rotatably disposed.

The portion'Mb of the delivery board-has a bracket 22 formed integral therewith terminating'in alug'23. The lug 23 is rotatably disposed on the-inner end of a sleeve 24 seated. in a socket '25 atthe upper end of the bearing bracket A'driving sheave 26is carried on a shaft 26a which is journaled in bearings 21 and 28 seated in the inner ends of the stub shaft 2| "and the sleeve '24s The shaft 26a "is provided with a 7 pinion 29 and sprocket Wheels 39 and 3|. The

36 disposed about the outer end of shaft 2| normally exerts a torsional force tending toraise the board |5 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 22. The spring thus counter-balances the weight of the board 15 and facilitates elevation thereof. As shownin Fig. 9, one end of the spring engages a pin 31 adjacent the outer end .of the shaft 2| while the other end of the spring engages a pin 38 threaded into the side arm 32;

A latch bar 139 pivoted on a pin 42 traversing a projection 4| extending upwardly from the bearing bracket 18 has a'notch 42 adapted to engage a pin 43 extending laterally from the flange of the board M to hold the latter in up-raised position. A latch bar 44 similarly mounted has a notch 45 adapted to receive a pin 46extending from the side arm 32 to hold the board IS in uplifted position. The latch bars can easily be released manually when it is desired to lower the delivery and feed- :boards to normal position;

Suitable. abutments are provided on the presses A and B for receiving the ends of the boards l4 and '|:5 when in normal position. V

The boa-rd I4 is provided'with a plura-lity'of conveyor belts :4] adjacent the edgesthereof and a central belt 48. The belts 4T aresupporting belts and belt 48 is a traction belt, being provided with perforations 49 adapted to line-up with vacuum ports 59 formed at intervals along, the length of the board. The belts 41 and 48' are trained over guide sheaves 5| and 52 atopposite ends of the board, a guide sheave 53 adjacent thesheave 52, the driving sheave 26 and a belt tightening sheave 54. The latter is journaled on pivoted arms 55 which may be provided with suitable tension springs to maintain the desired degree of .tautness in thebelts and 48.

Hold-down belts or tapes are trained over sheaves 51 and 58 adjacent opposite ends of the board 14 and over guide andtightening'sheaves 59 and-6o. .These tapes do not normally engage the sheet but serve merely to prevent the front corners thereoffrom floating up. The sheave 58 is .journaled in bearings carried by plates 6| secured to the sides of the board I4. The sheaves Hand 59 are journaled in bearing arms 62 carried on a cross-bar 63. The ends of the bar 63 are seated in cars 64 extending upwardly from the sides of the board M. The sheave Bilis carsheave 26 drivesoonveyor belts travellingfalong the board l4 which will detail shortly. r

be referredto in greater Sidearms '32 and3'3'are rotatable on'the inner V ends-of shaft 2| and sleeve 24, and extend subf stan-tially horizontally therefrom toward the press B. Projections extending inwardly from the side arms provide asupport for the board I5 which is secured theretobyscrewsti. By virtue of the construction described the board I4 is ti1t-.

able clockwise and the board 15 counter-clockwise about thecommon axis'of the shaft 2|;and

sleeve 24,"to'thejpositions shown indotted lines in Fig. It will be evident that this 'cohstruc ried in bearings 65. The bearings 65 are mounted on rods 66 extending through eyes in projections 61- on the arms 62. Springs and thumb nuts on the 'rod fit permitadjustment of the tape tension. V

The shaft 26a-is chaindriven through a sprocket 63. The chain drive forthe. shaft in cludes a sprocket (not shown) driven from the main drive of the press A. .By means of the chain drive .the belts 41 and .48 move at a speed proportional to the peripheral speed of the cylinder of the press A. The actual speed of the belts may be made equal to or'slightly greater than the peripheral speed of the cylinder. In the structureshown in Figures 1 to 12 inclusive, the speed of the belts 41 and'4 8' is equal to the peripheral speed of the cylinder'A. In Figure 26 there is shown'a modified structure including a driving sheave 26X-somewhat larger in diameter than the sheave 26 and which drives the belts at a speed slightly greater. than the peripheral speed of the cylinder The tapes 56 are driven by a chain and sprocket.

drive from the shaft 26a, the drive including the sprocket 3| on said shaft, and a sprocket 69' on the shaft on which the sheave 58 is mounted. The chain forming partof this drivealso engages a sprocket 10 connected to a centrifugal gas valve II controlling the supply of fuel to burners disposed adjacent the tapes 59 for discharging static from the sheets. These burners are located in a trough I2 formed in the board I4. The sheets and top tapes run through the flame at a speed sufiicient to prevent scorching. The valve II cuts off the gas when the tape drive is stopped.

In order to cause the belt 48 to advance a sheet delivered onto the board I4 from the cylinder of the press A, I provide means for applying vacuum progressively to the ports 50. Because of the perforations 49 in the belt 48 the vacuum applied to the ports 50 causes a sheet delivered to the board I4 to be held against the belt 48 by atmospheric pressure. I provide a rotary valve for controlling the application of vacuum to the ports 50 in a manner such that the point at which vacuum is applied at any instant will coincide substantially with the position of the leading edge of a sheet moving along the board, at that instant. The valve is shown in Figs. 3 through 5 and is indicated generally in Figs. 1A and 2A by the numeral 13. The valve comprises a stator I4 and a rotor I5. The stator has feet I6 whereby it is secured to pads formed on the side of the board I4. The stator has a tapered bore and the rotor is correspondingly shaped for cooperation therewith. Ports 1'! are spaced circumferentially of the bore through the stator. Hose connections I8 extend between fittings screwed into tapped holes in the stator I4 and board I4, communicating respectively with the ports TI and the ports 50. A main vacuum port I9 formed in the stator I4 is similarly connected to a vacuum pump (not shown).

An annular groove 80 is formed in the rotor I5 and is so positioned axially thereof as to overlie the port I9. A recess 8| formed in the rotor communicates with the groove 80 and is adapted successively to overlie the ports TI on rotation of the rotor. By this means, the ports 50 are successively connected to the vacuum pump as the recess BI passes over the ports TI to which the ports 50 are connected. As shown in Fig. 5, the recess 8! is wide enough to overlie two adjacent ports 11 simultaneously. This insures that at least one of the ports 50 will have vacuum applied thereto at all times or, in other words, that before vacuum is cut off from one port, it will be applied to the next succeeding port. Continuous traction of the belt 48 on the advancing sheet is thus assured.

The rotor I5 is keyed to a shaft 82 having a flange 83 engaging a bearing surface 84 on the stator I4. The rotor I5 has a flange 85 on which gear teeth are formed as at 86 providing a driving gear for the rotor. The rotor I5 is held on the shaft 82 by a spring 8! and nut 88.

The pinion 29 on the shaft 260. meshes with a gear 89 journaled on a bearing bracket 90 formed integral with the stator 14. A pinion 9! formed on a sleeve integral therewith and with the gear 89, meshes with a pinion 92 also mounted on the bracket 90. The pinion 92 meshes with the gear 86 formed on the rotor I5.

The feed board I5 is similar in general to the delivery board I4. It is provided with a single traction belt 93 disposed in alinement with the belt 48 having perforations 94. Ports 95 formed in the feed board have vacuum applied thereto through hose connections 96 extending to the valve I3. The vacuum applied to the last port in the board I5 is not controlled by the valve 13 but by a relief valve shown in Figs. 11 and 12 which will be described in detail shortly.

The belt 93' is trained over idler pulleys 9'I journaled at opposite ends of the feed board. The belt is also trained over a driving sheave 98 mounted on a shaft 99 journaled in the side arms 32 and 33. The belt also traverses a tightener pulley I00 similar to that shown at 54.

A shaft IOI journaled in a bearing sleeve formed on an arm I02 extending from the side frame I3 of press B has a pulley I03 thereon. Cooperating clutch members I04 on the shafts 99 and IM are normally engaged by a spring I05. A clutch release bar I06 is slidably mounted on the side arms 32 and 33 and has operating handles at each end thereof.

The pulley I03 is driven at a variable speed by means which are shown in detail in Figs. 13 and MB This means will be described with the other structure shown in these figures, but is omitted from Figs. 1B and 213 to avoid duplication andrepetition. For the present it is sufficient to state that the shaft IOI is so driven that the belt 93 is travelling. at about the same speed as the belt 48 when the leading edge of a sheet leaves the latter and engages the former. The belt 93 is first accelerated, then decelerated gradually until it is travelling at a very low speed by the time the leading edge approaches the drop guides of the press B shown at I56. The progressive release of the vacuum effected by the valve shown in Figs. lland 12 permits the sheet to be stopped in engagement with the drop guides I06. Side register means (not shown) then becomes operative, thus accurately positioning the sheet for engagement by the grippers of the cylinder of press B. The belt 93 continues to move at slow speed; thus urging the sheet against the drop guides during side registering. Vacuum is applied progressively to the ports 95 (except the last one) through the hose connections 96 by the-valve "I3 in the manner already described.

Hold down tapes 93a'similar tothose shown at 56 are trained about-a'sheave 94a and guide and tightening sheaves 95acarried on the frames 32 and 33. These tapes are driven from shaft 26a through a chain trained about sprocket 30 and a sprocket 96a on the shaft on which sheave 94a is mounted. V

The application of vacuum to the last suction port 95 on the board I 5 (that closest to the drop guides I06) is controlled by a'valve shown in Figs. 11 and 12 including a cylinder I01 and a piston I08. Ill'Ia pivoted at I0'Ibto a fixed standard I 010. An adjusting screw I0'Id threaded through aprojection I0'Ie permits thevalve cylinder to be adjusted about the center of the pivot I011).

The cylinder I01 has a port I09 connected to a convenient source of vacuum which may be the same pump which supplies suction to the other port 95. Aport H0 is connected by suitable fittings and hose to the port 95 nearest the drop guides I 0B.' A port III communicates with the atmosphere;

The piston I08 is normally maintained in its lowermost position by a spring I08a. A bell crank II2 pivoted on the standard I070 at II2a has a fork II2b cooperating with a pin II2c extendingthrough an eye bolt II2d threaded into the piston I08. The spring 108a is secured to The cylinder is mounted on the bracket 

